Jaina Rath

The United Nations Peacekeeping Force, known as UNIFIL, said the Serbian soldier was critically wounded after mortars hit his position in southern Lebanon Wednesday.

It said a peacekeeper from El Salvador and another from Spain were also injured.

A UN official speaking on condition of anonymity told NPR that Hezbollah appeared to have fired the mortars.

The group earlier said it was targeting Israeli forces in the area.

Hezbollah denied that it had hit a peacekeeping position and affirmed its commitment to UNIFIL's role.

Jaina Rath, NPR News, Beirut.